Collapsible wire article



EM, m, 19%. M, D MIT mum COLLAPSIBLE WIRE ARTICLE Filed March 29, i934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY ifihh. 1%, ma.- M, D, SMITH zmwm Filed March 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE WIRE ARTICLE Manville D. Smith, New York, N. Y. Application March 29, 1934, Serial No. 717,959 1 Claim. (01. 2451) This invention relates to improvementsin wire Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are side elevations of 2. articles, particularly to a wire article to be used variety of difierent forms into which the wire arfor numerous useful purposes, as a receptacle, as ticle may be shaped. an ornament, a puzzle, for use on bracelets, crys- Fig. is a detail view on a somewhat enlarged 5 tal bubble ball holders, or the like, and it is the scale illustrating the various methods of con- 5 principal object of my invention to provide such necting the wires forming the article.

an article composed of a plurality of readily con- Like characters of reference indicate corretortible, similar units cheaply to manufacture sponding parts throughout the several views. and one which can be conveniently folded into a As illustrated, the article formed according to 1 fiat body easily to be stored or transported. my invention is composed mainly of twounits A 10 Another object of my invention is the provision and B respectively, the central parts of which of a contortible and collapsible wire article, the constitute the wire rings l0 and II about which single units of which are interconnected by simthe substantially eye-shaped ends of the various ple means, while the elements or members comelements forming the units are twisted or guided.

posing each unit are connected by rings engaged These elements have each substantially semi- 5 by the eye shaped ends of each of the members circular shape, and the outer and inner elements arranged in close juxtaposition. of unit A are designated l2, l3 and for the unit still another object of my invention is the B are designated I4, l5 respectiv ly and are arprovision of a wire article which can readily be ranged in close proximity on each of. the rings m twisted into a plurality of shapes so that for inand II respect ve y So as to be ovab y connected 20 stance one-half the members forming one of the thereto as indicated at l6, ll, l8 and I9, and I6, units are angularly disposed to the other half 8 a d 9 f the units A and B respectivelyso as to form the foot parts for the vase or basket The connections l6, l8 and I6, I8 for the inner shaped parts of the units. v sets of semi-circular elements of the units A and A further object of my invention is the provi- B being within the connections for the outer 25 sion of an ornamental collapsible and contortible sets l1, I9, l1, l9, and the semi-circular elewire article the units of which may form a closed ments of ea h s in e ct the n x adjoinin wire cage,-one-half of the elements of each unit elements as indicated at 20, 2|, 20', 2t. forming the top and bottom part of the cage re- The apexes of the inner sets of semi-circular spectively. elements or members of units A and B are con- 30 A still further object of my invention is the nected at their meeting points by rings 22, and provision of a contortible wire article as def r the pu p e of more Securely holding t e e scribed composed of. sets of movable substantially rings in place, the material of the rings l3, M semi-circular members arranged in such manmay be suitably notched, as indicated at 23, 2t nor that the motion of one member of each set in Figure 10. 35 will operate to move also the other members of In use, the movable connections between the this set while the connection between the single rings of each unit and the sets of semi-circular units will permit a contortion of the article into members of each unit as well as the interconnumerous shapes anda collapsing of the same. nection of the inner sets of members of each 40 These and other objects of my invention will be unit and the intersection of the single members 40 more fully described with reference to the drawof each set of members of the units intermediate ings and will then be specifically defined in the their ends, will compel all the members of one appended claims. set to participate in the movement of one mem- In the accompanying drawings forming a maber of each set. The rings connecting the apexes terial part of this disclosure: of the inner members of each unit are securely Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wire article conheld in their position by the notches in the ad structed according to my invention, collapsed. joining members.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device extended. It will be understood that I do not wish to limit Fig. 3 is a side view of the article, partly colmyself to the specific forms illustrated in the lapsed. drawings into which my article can be formed 50 Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation showing the and to the particular uses mentioned but mean article substantially in basket form with a foot to cover by my invention any and all other forms part. and purposes into which the article may be shaped, Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the article 001- as I have only disclosed by way of example some lapsed. of these forms and that I may make such changes 55 in the general arrangement of the article and in its particular uses as well as construction of its minor details as come within the scope of the appended claims without departure from the spirit of my invention and the principle involved.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent is:

In a. collapsible and contortible wire article, a pair of units, a ring for each unit, inner and outer sets of substantially semi-circular members for each unit the ends of each of the members movably connected to the respective ring of its unit, the ends of the wires forming the inner sets overlapping the ends of the wires forming the outer sets at their places of connection with the respec tive ring, and the adjoining apexes of the inner members of each unit notched, and rings in the notches movably connecting the inner members of each unit to permit a ready contortion of the article into numerous shapes and collapsing of the same.

MANVILLE D. SMITH. 

